and nailed into the hoof wall.]]
A is a "U"-shaped item made of Steel , Aluminium , Rubber , Plastic , Rawhide or a Laminate of these, Nail ed or Glue d to the Hooves of Horses and some other Draught Animal s. Like a Shoe on a human, it is used to protect the animal's feet from wear and tear.
Some horseshoes have "calkins", "caulks", or "calks", protrusions at the toe and/or heels of the shoe, to provide additional traction. When kept as a Talisman , a horseshoe is said to bring good Luck . A stylized variation of the horseshoe is used for a popular throwing game, .
Horseshoes are available in a wide variety of materials and styles, developed for different types of horses and the work they do. Common materials are Steel , Aluminum and Plastic , and specialized shoes may include use of Magnesium , Titanium or Copper .
Since the early history of Domestication Of The Horse , many factors have contributed to the need for the walls (and sometimes the sole) of domestic horses' hooves to have additional protection over and above their natural hardness.
Live Grass es eaten in the wild are high in Nutrient s such as Beta Carotene . Cultivated feeds lose a high proportion of their carotene within hours of harvesting and so do not provide this vital ingredient to the horse. The hoof is made of Keratin , much as the human Fingernail , and grows hard, tough, and flexible only with optimal Nutrition .
Furthermore, domestic horses are often fed grains and other concentrates as well as alfalfa and lush pasture, all of which can, in improper amounts, lead to Laminitis , inflammation of the laminar attachments of the foot which holds the hoof wall onto the underlying coffin bone. An unhealthy or imbalanced diet that leads to active or even sub-clinical laminitis can contribute to weak feet because the horn is attached to the coffin bone by only a weak attachment.
Many changes brought about by Domestication Of The Horse have led to weakened feet and a need for shoes, including:
- Less movement and softer terrain: Horseshoes are not needed in nature as the horse walks and Graze s continuously over a wide variety of terrain. In the wild, a horse may travel up to 50 miles per day to obtain adequate forage. The consequence of this slow but nonstop travel on the horse's feet is to keep them worn to a small, smooth, even and hard state. The continual stimulation of the sole of the foot keeps it thick and hard. However, in Domestication , the customary amount of ground covered by a horse on a daily basis is greatly reduced, and is oftentimes very soft, such as irrigated land, arena footing, or stall bedding. Therefore, the hooves harden much less and are more vulnerable to injury.
- Wetter climate: Domesticated horses have moved from the arid steppes to either wetter climates or farming areas with intense irrigation. These softer and heavier soils soften the hooves and have made them prone to splitting, making hoof protection necessary. Consequently, it was in northern Europe that the nailed horseshoe arose in its modern form.
- Exposure to ammonia: The hooves of horses that are kept in stalls or small turnouts are constantly exposed to ammonia from urine. The hoof capsule is mostly made from keratin, a Protein , and is weakened by this exposure. Wearing shoes does not prevent or reduce damage from ammonia exposure. Rather, they are meant to reduce wear on weakened hooves.
- Improper management: In captivity, without the natural conditioning factors present in the wild, the feet of horses grow overly large, long, fragile and soft. Hence, protection from rocks, pebbles and hard, uneven surfaces is lacking. Horse's hooves require regular trimming and close attention paid to a balanced diet. Without these precautions, cracks in overgrown and overly brittle hoof walls are a danger, as is bruising of the soft tissues within the foot because of inadequately thick and hard sole material.
- Abnormal stress: Horses' hooves can become quite worn out when subjected to the added weight/stress of a Human , pack loads, cart or Wagon .
- Corrective shoeing: The shape, weight, and thickness of a horseshoe can significantly affect the horse's gait. Farrier s trained in Hot Shoeing can make custom shoes to help horses with bone or musculature problems in their legs.
- Traction: Traction devices such as Borium for ice, Horse Shoe Studs for muddy or slick conditions, calks, and rims are useful for performance horses such as Eventers , Show Jumpers , Polo Ponies , and other horses that perform at high speeds, over changing terrain, or in less-than-ideal footing.
- Gait Manipulation: Some breeds such as the Saddlebred , Tennessee Walking Horse , and other gaited horses are judged on their high-stepping movement. Special shoeing can help enhance their natural movement.
|
